SunnyCox

Being sleeved is an entirely different world for me. I can be mindful of what I eat! It is not constantly on my mind. I rarely crave things I shouldn't have. I can stop as soon as I feel full. Even if I eat something unhealthy, I can eat well at my next meal (which used to derail previous diets in a heart beat!) I would consider how likely you are to drop your diet or exercise if you were stressed, sad, overworked, or just busy with life. What happens when the NUT goes away? How likely would you be able to keep up what you are doing for a lifetime? Right now, the sleeve holds me accountable for how much I can eat at one time, and for that, I am grateful.

My pain was bad the first day. I think it was primarily gas. After the first 18 hours, I was golden. Hardly any pain issues.

My lower back started hurting when I became dehydrated. Could that be the issue?

I wouldn't tell. Before surgery I only told people that I knew would be EXTREMELY supportive (and that list was very small). Since surgery, I have been able to handle myself a little better with a little more confidence, and I've told a few more people. I don't want anyone to shove having surgery in my face or tell me I was taking the easy way out, so I didn't give them the chance. I'll never know how they would react. When people ask why I am not eating much, I tell them I am still having a hard time since my surgery. If I'm full or not hungry, I say so. I think people are less observant about what you eat if they don't think you are on a diet. Most of the people I am around have no clue and no one comments when I barely eat what is on my plate, so I don't have to deal with those comments.

$5500 for Dr. Kelly in Mexico. I had gone to a consultation with Dr. Bowers in the DFW area. I believe their self pay price was $10,500.

I stalled two weeks out from surgery. Gained 2lbs and held steady for 8 days. At day 6, I increased my Water intake and started taking the Vitamins I was supposed to be taking from the beginning. I think both things helped me, and by day 8, I started losing again. Since then, I started exercising to ensure that I keep losing. I think we are all going to go through stalls no matter what we do. Eventually, the scale will start moving downward again. My PCP gave me two tidbits of advice to prevent stalls: If I am dehydrated or lacking sufficient nutrients / vitamins, my body would hold on to my extra weight to try to ensure it gets what it needs. If I would do some form of simple exercise (even walking in 10 min bursts), it would take me longer to reach stalls.

Maybe you shouldn't be too worried about nutritional requirements so soon if you are still having a hard time staying hydrated. Find something you enjoy drinking and make sure you get enough. The first 10 days, I consumed a lot of watered down fruit juice, Gatorade, and sweet tea. I wasn't consuming so much that it kept me from losing weight, but I did have enough to give me energy and keep myself hydrated. I didn't even worry about food or protein. Once it was going down fine, and I was getting enough, I switched to protein drinks and yogurt.

I did the same thing to myself. I kept telling myself everything else I could do with that money. Now that I am post-op, I know (without a doubt) that I made the right decision! I've realized that I will recoup the money I spent on WLS within about a year considering how much less I will eat. Plus, I've been really picky about clothes as I've gotten heavier. I'd love to grab a cute, cheap tank top from Wal-Mart instead of Lane Bryant in the future. I couldn't put a price tag on the joy it has give me to watch the number on the scale go down nor the amount of energy I have gained. One less worry on my life means I've let a little more sunshine inside.

Congrats! The month before surgery seemed sooooo slow for me. It speeds up a little once you hit the pre-op diet!

Try the words "partial gastrectomy." It is much more common. Then, you can explain from there.

My doc said four weeks. My incisions looked healed today (week 3), and I am so ready to get in the pool.

I hit 270lbs in 2004. I have fluctuated since then, but never got under 240lbs. I was the type of person who felt like I could do it on my own. I had the mindset that if I could stick to the strict diet after surgery, why couldn't I do it right now without surgery? Last November, my dad talked with me about my weight. He asked me to consider seeing a bariatric surgeon about the LapBand. I knew very little about weight loss surgery, but I made the appointment. Told the surgeon that I was just considering it, and I talked to him about all the things I didn't like about the LapBand. He told me about the sleeve. I told him I would think about it, and that I wanted to try diet and exercise again for one year. If it didn't work out, the I would have surgery. The surgeon said that at my BMI of 51 that he saw very few people (about 1 in 100) who were successful in losing weight and keeping it off. He also told me that my PCOS which caused insulin resistance would hinder my weight loss). Well, I signed up for Weight Watchers (again) ad even went to a doctor supervised weight loss center. Needless to say, I didn't stick to either one, and six months later I had gained 9lbs. In that time, I had been reading in the forums. Saw that people were losing lots of weight in the same six month period. I didn't want to wait another six months. I was sleeved on June 28th. I am three weeks out, and the diet that I wasn't able to stick with before surgery comes so easily now. My head hunger isn't bad. I can eat mini meals throughout the day that are high in Protein. I drink more, and I take better care of myself. It is a world of difference in trying to eat right before and after surgery. As far as giving up things I love... I made a spaghetti dinner for my cousin's family while I was still on liquids post-op. I felt remorse that I would never eat a huge plate of spaghetti, 4 pieces of garlic bread and two sodas again. Then, I realized that didn't sound right. I would be able to eat spaghetti, but I would be able to stop at the amount my body needs and be satisfied (probably a child's size portion). As for sodas and bread, I craved them pre-op, and I haven't even desired them post-op. Once I made my mind up to have the surgery and told a few people, I let them know that I was not coming to them for an opinion. I was having this surgery, and I want their support. It worked. I got the support I needed. Good luck.

The post op diet instructions weren't very clear from me either. I went to a weight loss seminar in the US before I settled on going to Dr. Kelly. They gave me a booklet that went over dietary and lifestyle direction very thoroughly. If you will PM me, I would be happy to email you. Pam was also sleeved by Dr. Kelly a few days after me, and she sent me an email that clarified things a little better. I can forward that to you as well.

I was emailed one and given one after surgery, but I ended up going with another one which had a lot more information that was given to me at a seminar I attended in the US. I can email you a copy if you PM me.

I bought 2 round trip tickets from Dallas/Fort Worth to San Diego non-stop via Spirit Airlines. For the flight home we sat in Spirit's big front seats (equivalent to first class seat on other airlines) which cost an additional $25 per person. Total cost for both tickets = $427. Spirit is cheap, but their flights are limited, and they have a bunch of surcharges. If you decide to book with them, make sure you read about their fees. They allow you to bring one personal item up to the size of a college/high school book bag. Here is a list of their fees: http://www.spirit.com/optionalfees.aspx A few to note: Carry on bags Ability to chose your own seat (vs letting them pick) drinks ($3 each) Print boarding pass at the airport (vs at home)

I flew non-stop from Dallas to San Diego via Spirit Airlines (3 hour flight). Spirit is the budget airline that charges you for carry on bags. You can carry one personal item onto the flight. Personal items can be up to the size of a book bag. I brought my college book bag which has a laptop pouch built in. I had someone come with me for surgery, so he was able to carry the bag onto the plan for the flight home. If you are going alone, I would suggest a bag with wheels since you won't be able to lift too much weight. My bag was completely stuffed. I did not go shopping for souvenirs while on my trip, but if you do, you may want to plan some extra space to ensure you have room to bring things home. A book bag is pretty small. Here is exactly what I packed: Laptop, charger and ear buds Quart size zip-lock bag with the following toiletries: (3oz shampoo, 3oz conditioner, deodorant, travel size tooth paste, bar soap, 3oz mouth wash). Quart size make-up bag (minimal make-up, hair brush, toothbrush, pantyliners) Medications (about 3 pill bottles plus gas strips) Heating pad (I didn't find this necessary, but I did use it to try to relieve gas) Cell phone and charger Wallet and passport (I left my purse at home and just took the essentials in my wallet which I packed in the small outer pocket of the book bag with my phone for convenient access) Two travel space bags (these are the little bags that use suction to compress your clothes. If you buy the travel space bags, you don't need a vacuum to create suction. You simply pack your clothes in the bag, seal it like a zip lock bag, then sit on it to push out the extra air). For clothing: 7 underwear (really, really glad I had a couple extra pairs) nightgown (not needed if you don't mind the hospital gown) loose fitting pants (sweat pants, which I wore under the hospital gown) two additional pairs of slacks (I only wore one of the two pairs) four shirts pair of thick slipper socks (never wore) Some things that I did not pack: Shoes & socks - I wore flip flops onto the plane, around the hospital and hotel. They were easier to slip on than the slipper socks that I brought. The hospital provided a pair of slippers, but they were too big for me. (See the above post about Ted hose having holes at the toes) Hair dryer - I have long hair, and I was glad that another patient who had surgery the same day I did had brought a blow dryer which she let me borrow (Thanks, Jennifer!). I washed my hair the day I left and once after surgery. The hotel (Lucerna for Dr. Kelly) provided a blow dryer. Sports bra - I wear a 40F, so I need the support. I didn't pack an extra bra, and the one I wore on the plane had an underwire. Luckily, Jennifer gave me one of her extra sports bras which I didn't need until it was time to leave the hospital. I wore it the entire time I was at the hotel and a few days after I got home) I do not use my laptop during flights. I don't find the tray table to be very comfortable at my size. I was happy to have it while in Mexico to communicate with people at home, read the news/Facebook, and to watch videos on Hulu & Netflix.

I'm two weeks post op as of yesterday, and I just started feeling lethargic as well. I started tracking my food/water to make sure that I am getting as much Fluid & Protein as I need. I also ordered more Vitamins. I also live in an area where temps regularly go over 100. I do walk most nights of the week around 9pm. I try to keep it at a moderate pace - nothing too strenuous. To beat the heat, try hospitals, malls, and universities. Most have walking routes through the hallways to keep you in the AC. You can even do laps around Walmart.

I told my dad, step mom, my SO, dentist, and next time I see my PCP, I'll tell him too. No one else knows except for people I've met on the forum. As of right now, I don't plan on telling anyone in the future. I don't live near my family, and I don't plan on seeing them until October. I only plan on telling them that I eat less. I didn't tell everyone that I had my gallbladder out last year, so why should this be any different? There are a couple of good posts on this topic that I read a while back before I made the decision. Honesty vs Lying About the Surgery What Do You Tell People About Your Weightloss? Secret

I work in pulmonary medicine. We do a pulmonary function test and sleep studies.

I have PCOS. My hormones are normal, and I grow facial hair and have acne. It sucks. Weight loss is supposed to relieve the symptoms. I'm hoping it does.

I am only 10 days post op, and I made spaghetti for my cousin's family a few nights ago. I mourned knowing that I will never eat a huge plate of spaghetti and 3-4 pieces of bread. What did make me feel better is knowing that one day, I will be able to eat a child's size portion and feel just as stuffed as gorging on that huge plate I used to make. I think I will be completely satisfied with eating the amount my body needs and not the amount my head wants.

When I told my trainer that I sweat more since gaining weight, and I asked him if some of it would go away when I lost weight. He told me something that I thought was cute - I was better insulated than most people, of course, I would sweat more. This gave me hope that I would sweat less as I lost the insulation.

I miss having kitties! My SO is allergic, and the neighborhood cats are so skittish. If those stray cats would only like me, they would be so pampered. hahahah

Agreed!

Before I started the liquid portion of my diet, my SO and I went to PF Changs, and I had my favorite meal (crispy green beans with spicy sauce) and a piece of chocolate cake.